Animasyros Festival Hosts International Mifa Campus Workshop for Mediterranean Animators
From September 25th to 28th, the Animasyros International Animation Festival transformed Syros Island, Greece, into a hub of creativity, hosting a new International Mifa Campus – Talents workshop. Organized by the Annecy International Animation Film Market (Mifa), with the support of the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Institut Français, the workshop aimed to support emerging animation talents from the Mediterranean region.
The workshop, held during the annual Animasyros Festival, focused on nurturing the creative and artistic growth of selected animation projects. This year, five project leaders from five Mediterranean countries—Greece, Turkey, Serbia, Egypt, and Morocco—were invited to participate and benefit from Mifa's expertise and mentorship.
Participants and their projects included:
- Ira Elshansky (Serbia) – "Boobs" – short film
- Yiannis Skouras (Greece) – "Fruits of Labor" – short film
- Jihane Joypaul (Morocco) – "Harun & Mamun" – short film
- Islam Mazhar & Ahmad Abdelhameed (Egypt) – "Kamaroza" – feature film
- Günef Bozkurt (Turkey) – "The Witch of the Mountain" – TV series
The selected animators had the opportunity to refine their work with guidance from industry professionals, learning from Annecy’s rich experience in animation. This initiative represents a crucial link between Animasyros and the renowned Annecy Festival, both of which share a commitment to fostering new talent in the animation world, especially from underrepresented regions.
The collaboration between Annecy and Animasyros continues to evolve, with plans for additional workshops in 2025 to further support Mediterranean animation creators.
Looking ahead, the participants of this year's Mifa Campus will present their projects during a special Partners Pitch at the Annecy International Animation Film Market next June, providing them with a platform to showcase their work to an international audience.
This partnership between Animasyros and Annecy reflects a growing focus on Mediterranean animation, aimed at providing opportunities for creatives to develop and showcase their unique perspectives and stories on the global stage.